Lesleigh Ford Email & Phone Number

LesLeigh Ford is an associate director in the Office of Race and Equity Research (ORER) at the Urban Institute, where she leads and contributes to research and policy advising projects that explore sources of and solutions to racial inequities. LesLeigh has led research in ORER on topics such as diversifying the health care workforce, expanding the Black maternal health workforce, improving access to leadership development programs for racial equity–focused leaders of color, and reparations for Black Americans. LesLeigh currently leads a body of work in ORER that focuses on advancing wealth equity, and she recently launched a new initiative called Black Family Thriving focused on wealth building among Black middle-class Americans. Her previous work includes evaluations of philanthropic and government-funded grant programs and research and advising to inform funder decisionmaking and practice. Ford earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and English from the University of Michigan, a master’s degree in education policy and management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a doctoral degree in sociology from Duke University.

Listed skills include Public Speaking, Teaching, Nonprofit Organizations, Program Development, and 2 others.